The
Heptavalent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Reduces Invasive Disease
and Otitis Media in Children

Question

Clinical
Bottom Lines

Immunization with the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at
2, 4, 6 and 12 to15 months of age is highly effective in preventing
invasive pneumococcal disease, and it has a significant impact in reducing
otitis media in young children.1

Fully vaccinating approximately 300 children would prevent one case
of invasive disease.

Providing at least one dose of vaccine to approximately 400 children
would prevent one case of invasive disease.

Fully vaccinating approximately 160 children would prevent one case
of otitis media.

PCV7 is recommended for universal use in children 23 months and younger.

Summary of Key Evidence

This study was a randomized, double blind trial involving 37,868 healthy
infants who received either the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
(study group) or the meningococcus type C conjugate vaccine (control
group). The vaccines were administered at 2, 4, 6 and 12 to 15
months of age, along with the standard immunization schedule.

At the time of an interim evaluation, PCV7 demonstrated such high efficacy
against invasive pneumococcal disease that termination of the trial
was recommended.

In
the final efficacy analysis, PCV7 was 97.4% effective in reducing invasive
disease involving vaccine serotypes in fully immunized children.
It was 89.1% effective in reducing overall invasive disease regardless
of serotype. There was no evidence of increased disease caused
by non-vaccine serotypes.